


The Infamous Sound of Goodspeed

by ultraviolnce



Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: Domestic AU?, M/M, Slow Burn, band au, bi gary, garycato will happen, kinda domestic AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28061784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraviolnce/pseuds/ultraviolnce
Summary: Domestic/band AU? After years under watch in his own crumbling home and an unlucky streak with garage bands, the son of late superstar John Goodspeed sets out to make a name--and a band-- for himself.
Relationships: Avocato/Gary Goodspeed
Comments: 11
Kudos: 9





	The Infamous Sound of Goodspeed

**Author's Note:**

> Haha, oh crap! An AU? Hell yeah! A weird and kind of niche AU nobody asked for? Absolutely. An AU that makes me happy so I'm gonna do it anyways? You bet your butt.
> 
> I finally am a little ahead of the game so I can post the first chapter, second coming later this week!

Gary stumbled out into the driveway, knees hitting the ground painfully with his palms following suit in an attempt to save his face. He could feel the sharp pricks of the gravel pieces pressing into the flesh, sucking in a sharp breath and slowly pushing himself back up onto his feet to face the doorway. 

Two bulky aliens stood at the doorway, one baring his unfathomably large teeth. “Get outta here!” he bellowed. “Git, you low-life! We don’t need you!”

Gary huffed, brushing his dirty hands on his pants. “Hey, I came with a guita--” he barely finished the sentence when his other (former) bandmate tossed the beaten up case out the door. The blonde scrambled to save it with an ‘oof!’ when the full mass of the thing hit him in the face and chest and reeled him backwards, thankfully into the dead grass and dried up dirt of the front lawn this time. 

“Thank you!” he called out, only getting a slam of the door in response. “Geeze…” he managed to mumble into himself and took a moment to open the guitar case. Everything was intact, though he did notice his cable and pick were missing. Predictable, but they could have done worse to the old thing. He closed up the case again and shouldered it, making his way down towards the sidewalk and making his way to his car down the street. He shouldn’t have been so surprised he’d get kicked out of another band-- hell, the fact that he lasted so long was more of a surprise than the actual kicking itself-- But here he was, out another group and the pool was only getting smaller.

He pulled his keys from his pockets and unlocked the back seat manually (the only way he could on the junker of a car) and slid the case in gently before settling into the driver’s seat. He didn’t feel exactly horrible about being kicked out, the guys were pretty shabby and the bars they played looked about as sad and dive-y as the band was, but what he truly dreaded was admitting it; this was the fourth band he was kicked from, and that never boded well. When he was in a band, it was great-- he was keeping out of trouble, which his therapist loved to hear; he was being an active member of society, which HUE was pleased about; and he was socializing with someone else, which his mother would probably be thankful for, if he could ever tell her.

The drive was short and quiet, the radio in the car having only static to offer to accompany the sounds of a dying A/C. Gary pulled into the driveway and came to a stop that was accented by squealing brakes and parked. He stepped onto the smooth, uncracked pavement and made his way through the expansive threshold. He set down the guitar case by the door and made his way to where the grand entryway opened up to a pathetically barren living room. The man sat on the arm of the old sofa and flopped back, legs dangling over as he sunk in. Gary shut his eyes, going over the made up points in the lie he was concocting in his head as to why--

“Gary. You have arrived back from practice early,” the voice enveloped him in a monotone that still somehow managed to sound like it was chastising him. Gary huffed and sat up to pull his legs over the edge and recline on the sofa in a more appropriate fashion. 

“Yeah, HUE. We... cut off early today. Zeke had a uh… dentist… test…” he mumbled out-- he knew the house AI would never accept that.

And accept it, HUE did not, instead letting out a mild ‘hum’. “You were kicked out of another group,” he stated.

“No! No no, just…” Gary stumbled, sitting up straight and rubbing the back of his neck as it started to grow hot. Almost on queue, he could hear the arrival of a gentle pattering across the ground and a gentle jingle of a bell. “Oh! Oh, Mooncake! Little buddy!” he laughed nervously as the cat ran towards his voice and cleared the arm of the couch with a ‘mrrrp!’ and landed gracefully in his lap. Gary scratched the feline behind the ears as he began to purr, rolling over to show his shaggy black tummy and big green eyes looking up at him in some kind of gentle understanding-- just what he needed in that moment.

“Gary.” HUE pressed, albeit the volume of his voice much more quiet, “You were saying you did not get kicked out of your newest band?”

“Right! I wasn’t. I… I decided to go solo. On my own-- well, not ON MY OWN, on my own, but like…” he trailed off, rubbing his finger along Mooncake’s chin, “...my own band. I’m going to form my own band. Take control. Grab leadership by the nipples.” Mooncake mewled in protest when Gary stood up. “Yeah! I’m gonna put out an ad, find some talent, and make my own band! And we’ll kick it!” 

“...Interesting.” HUE mused. “And if you do not find your band mates?”

“Then… I play it by ear.” Not his best Plan B, but HUE did not need to know it took five seconds to make.

“There is a 75% probability that ‘playing it by ear’ will end in you having nobody join,” HUE advised as Gary sat down, taking his phone. The blonde waved him off, tapping away. “It’ll be fine. I’ll put out an ad and vet people! It’ll work!”

“That will lower your probability to… hmm… 56%.” HUE advised.

“Better than 75, right?” Gary chuckled. “Don’t worry so much, it’s still being actively social, right? Auditions are tomorrow, we got this in the bag!”

\--

Gary realized, with dismay, that maybe HUE was right about his chances at finding bandmates. The community center was usually empty, but was it possible for it to be MORE empty? It felt like it, Gary realized as he sat in an old metal chair with his chin in one hand and the other tapping a pen impatiently against his notepad.

“I believe our time is almost up, Gary, and we do not have anymore auditions coming in,” His watch buzzed and lit up as HUE’s voice filled his ears. He looked down to the screen as the AI spoke, the empty inbox HUE pulled up feeding the feeling of disappointment.

“Yeah, I guess we can start packing up early,” Gary agreed with a sigh and stood, Mooncake making a sound as if to complain about being forced from his resting place on the blonde’s lap, “We should clean up… get things back in order before we go.”

“We, Gary?” The watch asked him. Gary couldn’t help but smack himself on the head-- he forgot just how much control HUE lost for the sake of mobility. “Me, I will clean,” he corrected himself.

“Ah, I understand. I will leave you to your cleaning,” HUE replied simply and the screen went black. Of course he knew HUE was still listening, he was most likely trying to avoid any complaining which Gary would never consider, but that aside…

The door opened with a soft click and Gary turned expectantly to see a small and nervous looking alien standing at the door. “Yes! Hi!” Gary launched into a greeting right away, dropping the chair he was putting away with a bang that echoed through the room, making the alien flinch. “Can I help you?”

“U-uh huh, yeah… I’m with the Infinity Junior Choir, w-we have this area booked for 4:30pm--”

“It’s not 4:30 yet!” Gary protested loudly, making the alien squeak and recoil.

“I-I know, I know, we just wanted to make sure you were--”

“I’ll let you know when I’m ready!” He replied hastily, walking over and shoving the door back shut. “Geeze.”

He barely released the door when it began to open again, Gary forcing it shut. “I said, I’ll let you know when I am READY--”

“Uh, yeah I heard that,” the new voice rang through the door. “But I am here for the band audition? The one that needs a drummer? And a bassist… and a singer…”

“Oh!” Gary opened the door to the stranger, chuckling nervously. “Sorry, yeah! Uh, yeah, that’s me! I’m Gary.”

It took him a moment to realize the audition was not his height-- not even close. He glanced downwards to see the speaker.

The orange-furred felinoid smiled weakly, almost looking a little apologetic as he spoke. “I am so so sorry, I would have been here sooner, but I had to take the bus here and it was fifteen minutes late.” he stepped in, blue mohawk shifting fast as he spun back on his heel to face Gary. “Not that that’s an excuse! I swear, I’ll be here on time from here on out, I just didn’t have a ride today! Bike in the shop, no biggie.” 

“I…” the blonde’s brows furrowed. “That’s... okay. We’re about to give up the space to the junior choir but… we can, uh… say, how old are you?”

The youth (very clearly a youth, from the backpack slung over his shoulder that was weighed down with what Gary could only trust was textbooks) waved it off. “Fourteen! But I am super dependable, I get my homework done during study hall so I don’t need to worry about after school, and band practice there is in the mornings. After school, totally free.”

“Right, uh…” Gary desperately searched his memory for his ad-- did he ever specify an age minimum? Oh god, he had to-- he couldn’t believe he would leave something like that up in the air, his usual gigs were fricking dive bars, no way he could take a 14 year old boy to a dive bar, parental consent or not! And where were his parents? Did his mom and dad know he was here, would they be okay with their son playing with a bunch of adults in a band? And what did he do if there were more teens coming to this audition? WAS HE GOING TO BE GARY AND THE BOYS, LITERALLY?

“Hello,” The kid waved at him from the stage, standing beside the centre’s drum set. “Are you good for me to start, is there anything specific I should be doing…?”

Gary snapped out of it. “Yeah-- no--I mean go ahead, just do uh… do what you know best, Mr. uh…”

“Cato. L-Little, Cato…” he boy seemed embarrassed about the name, and as weird as it was Gary merely smiled in weak encouragement. That seemed to be enough as the teen set his backpack down and fished out a pair of beaten-up drumsticks covered in various tiny stickers. Little Cato made his way behind the set and plopped down. In that moment his confident grin melted away into an unsure grimace, shifting in his seat.

“Go ahead,” Gary encouraged softly, settling down into the only chair not put away yet. Little Cato nodded numbly, taking a deep breath. He hit a couple times before flinching.   
“Hit the wrong thing-- uhm, can I start again?” he asked.

“Yeah, of course,” Gary assured. Little Cato smiled his thanks before taking another breath, straightening up and starting again.

The kid was good. Not excellent, but damn if he didn’t give even some of the better drummers Gary had heard a run for their money. Hell, he was the best drummer all day!

Gary stood, applauding the youth as he finished his set. “That was amazing! Oh my god--” he ran his hands through his hair in disbelief.

Little Cato squealed, for the lack of any other word, curling in his seat and holding his face. “Does this mean I got the spot?!” he asked excitedly. “Oh my god--!”

Oh. Oh crap. Gary realized it with a pit in his stomach-- the kid was good, but he was still, well, a kid! He couldn’t take a kid into a dive bar. He looked back down at Mooncake, curled up under the chair, asleep. Wow, Mooncake, no help.

“Yeeeah, about that--” Gary started, but it was all he got out as Little Cato bounded off the stage, grabbing his hand.

“I promise I’ll never be late, I won’t complain about any late nights, I’ll practice lots-- oh my god, this is so awesome! My dad will flip!”

“Woah, slow your roll, little buddy! I-I should really talk to your dad first,” Gary interjected. “This is an adult band. That tours. And does bars and stuff. I can’t take a teenager into a bar, even if you don’t drink…”

In that moment, Little Cato’s face fell, ears folding back. “I...I didn’t get it? But you said I was amazing!” He shot back, annoyed.

“I know! I know, and you are! But--”

“Uh, hello? Arguing man and child?” a female voice echoed over them, accented by a couple knocks on the door. Gary and Little Cato turned to the woman standing in the doorway, looking a little tired. “Your time was up ten minutes ago, the choir needs this space.” she stated.

“Uh…” Gary’s jaw hung open slightly, only shaking it off when Mooncake brushed up on his leg. “Uh--oh! Yeah, sorry-- late entry. We’re just packing up,” he assured, moving to get his chair fast, but he couldn’t help but glance back at her again-- she was beautiful, standing tall with hair arms crossed, even despite a grimace her dimples showed. Silver eyes watching him before she looked back to the pouting Little Cato. “Is… everything okay in here?” she ventured, more to the kid than Gary himself.

“Yeah, ‘s fine,” Little Cato grumbled. “Like he said… just leaving.” He grabbed his backpack, shooting Gary a dirty look before stomping towards the door. She looked down at him as he passed before looking back up at Gary, who admittedly was still watching her from the pile of chairs. It took longer than honestly necessary for the realization he was caught to sink in, Gary quickly straightening himself with an awkward chuckle and scooping up Mooncake.

The group started to file in with a motion from the woman, pushing past Gary as he made his way towards the doors. “That was-- nothing, really, I uh-- I’m starting a band, and I forgot to specify that the audience was at bars--not skeevy bars, or anything! Just...yeah.” he cleared his throat and offered his hand. “I’m Gary.”

The woman arched a brow at him but took his hand. “Quinn. Are you going to be here usually?” she asked.

“Yeah! Yeah, every Tuesday and Thursday, from 3:30 to 4--” he gasped at his hand being gripped suddenly very tight, her grin becoming very forced. Mooncake hissed in response to the grab that made Gary tense, but it went unheeded.

“We start at 4:30. Sharp. Don’t hold us back again. This is a competitive troupe and we pay for this space so we can use every minute.” Quinn stated. “Got it, Gary?”

“Got it! Roger! Hear you loud and clear.” he squeaked. Pleased, Quinn released his hand. “Have a good night.” with that, she closed the door on the man. Gary stood in the dead silence, the low light concealing a blush on his cheeks.

“Gary…” HUE’s voice started.

“Yeah?”

“...You can take Little Cato on with signed consent from his parents.” 

“Oh. Cool.” he murmured, “Very… cool.”

“...Gary.”

“Yeah, HUE?”

“...Should I contact him?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, let him know.”

“Very well. And breathe, Gary. Your heart rate has skyrocketed, it is not ideal.”

“Got it under control, HUE.”


End file.
